Online News

How do you know if you have done a good job in journalism? Well, you can always evaluate yourself but it seems to me that it will be more objective to let other people judge your works.

In terms of online journalism, there is Online News Association that gives awards in 30 categories to online news outlet (from small to large sites) every year. Last year, they announced 30 outlets in 27 categories.

Al Jazeera won the breaking news, large site award for their coverage on uprising in Egypt.

Looking at the site, I kind of understand why they won. For almost all issue in the Middle East, there will always be in-depth article, video, and blog that shows journalistic values in the site. They also schedule real-time reporting on Syria, for example, which indicates the timelines of the news. When the world is looking for information on Middle East, Al Jazeera is at the right place. They understand the field better than other news outlet.

As for the coverage on uprising in Egypt, users are presented with a one-minute-forty-second video on occupy of Tahrir Square and the trial of Hosni Mubarak, former president of Egypt. Not only that, the video also shows how people react on the verdict.  What makes it more breaking news is the live blog Egypt, which is updated almost every two hours or so.

Timeliness is playing a key role in the news, especially for online (and breaking) news. So, if you decide to walk on the path, at least you know what it takes to be a good one.

Interview 1: Raw

So, here is the first interview for my final project on Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA).
There will be another video later this week.

Vblog: Story Idea on ORCA

So, there is another challenge in this Multimedia Journalism class: making a video blog.

I decided to tell you about my plan on my final project on ORCA. It is interesting to know about the activities in the program. I was there several times. I wish I could enroll in the program because I'm interested in science and it is cool to observe marine animals in a water tank.

If you want to find out more, wait until I finish my final project.

In the meantime, please enjoy my first video blog.

(Help!) Ideas

As we are entering the second half of the quarter, here comes the most difficult part of the class: story ideas. Not that it is hard to come out with ideas, but there are too many ideas to pick. I want to do this, I want to do that.

So, after those ideas were competing for almost a week, here are the top two:

1.     CCID (Community College for International Development) program

Focus: what is CCID? What does it do good for the U.S.? What’s the contribution to EvCC? How regular student perceived the fact that the students are funded by the Department of State?

Possible use of multimedia: interview video (Craig Lewis as program liaison, Phebe Shen as program coordinator, one of CCID students), slide show or video on CCID students activities.

2.     APSU (Asian/Pacific Islander Student Union) – one of the most active student clubs in EvCC.

Focus: what is APSU? Who are the members? What do they do?

Possible use of multimedia: interview of members, slide shows on activities, video of one of the meeting.

Those are the two that I think possible to be reported.

Please tell me which one you like the most.

Should you have any other input, please tell me on comment.

A Story of A Storyboard

Editor: “Let’s report a story using video.”

Student journalist: “It’s video reporting time. Yay!”

Editor: “Are you ready?”

Student journalist: (looking for a camera) “This camera is too big, can I use my iPhone instead?”

Editor: “Sure.”

Student journalist: “Okay. I’m ready to go out and shoot.” (standing eagerly)

Editor: “Wow, hold on. Calm down. Before you go out and shoot, let’s plan the things you should shoot and how they are shot.”

Student journalist: (sighing disappointedly) “I thought what we need is to contact the source and shoot. Isn’t that the tip: shoot, shoot and shoot?”

Editor: “It’s true. But you don’t want to waste the memory by shooting aimlessly, do you? Let’s start with making a storyboard.”

Student journalist: “Storyboard?”

Editor: “Yes. Storyboard is a sketch of how to organize the story and a list of its content.“

Student journalist: “But, I cannot draw.”

Editor: ”Not necessary. You can make a storyboard using stick figure.”

Student journalist: “Well, why bother drawing if the picture is in my head? I mean, I know what I’m doing.”

Editor: “Well, the pictures help you define the scope of the project. Storyboard will help you define the focus of the story. Once you are done you can swap the pictures for a better flow and sequence.”

Student journalist: “I see. Should I make my own box?”

Editor: “It’s up to you. You can choose any available template you want or using a software.”

Student journalist: (fishing his iPhone back to his pocket) “See you soon, video camera. Let’s make a storyboard.”

Editor: (handing sheets of paper) “Here are some tips you can use to make your own storyboard. Make sure you finish it quickly, we’re on deadline.”

Student journalist: “But, I have just learned about it.”

Editor: “No excuse. I want it in my office at 2. You hear me?”

Student journalist: “Aye, aye, Capt’n.”

News in Multimedia

Multimedia is an emerging reporting tool. Despite more hassle in the preparation, it turns out to be the most effective tool in reporting. Viewers not only getting the verbal information, but getting more understanding by looking at video or slideshows or images.

Multimedia is a very good example of “show, don’t tell”.

How do the news outlets cope with the demand on multimedia, especially on their websites?

Some big news corporation has their own section of video (it ranges from news, sport to opinion or editorial).

For example, The Seattle Times published its special report on Elwha River in written stories, timeline, photo gallery and a 3-minute slideshow with audio. It starts with an overview on the history of the dam, what good did the dam give to people and the process of deconstruction of the dam. I think it gives more option to users. If you don’t like reading too much text, at least you can watch a slideshow video.

The New York Times has a better interface for their website. One interesting section is called Opinion. Apart from seeing caricature on the print edition, readers can also watch video. The most recent one is opinion from the Op-Ed columnist Nicholas D. Kristof on what the conviction of Charles Taylor means for Sierra Leone and for current brutal dictators and warlords. Instead of writing his opinion, Kristof is sitting at the studio, telling his opinion about the conviction in a 2-minute video. I should say it is a good way to engage both readers and viewers.

So, if students want to empower multimedia as their reporting tool, what should be considered?

As in written news, try to find a way to engage viewers. Interesting introduction or title might help people to stop and click ‘play’.

Think like a video maker: plot, opening, ending, etc. Play with creativity to make a news story a ‘story’, not just a random compilation of pictures or footage.

Timing is important. Doing multimedia can be fun and there is a chance that you just want to tell more information in it. But be careful on the duration of the video or slideshow or interview. The effective multimedia should not exceed 3 minutes, in my opinion. That is probably the average time people can put their attention on a website. Because news in multimedia might not as engaging as a film, put in mind that users might move to another page quickly if they think they have got the information they want.

With those things in minds, next thing to do is : go out and shoot (a lot)! 

Storytelling: Slideshow

Reporting news is not all about writing on paper. News story can be presented in many ways, especially true in the era of multimedia and online journalism.

News can be presented with just a single, tell-it-all photo or video. But today I learned about using slideshow (with/without audio) to report the news.

Some news outlet will just build an online gallery for certain news topic. Some choose to add audio (narration, music, interview) in it. Regardless the ending output, slideshow can be a strong reporting tool.

One example I found in the Internet is a slideshow at the Seattle Times about Black Friday shopping in 2010

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/flatpages/businesstechnology/apinteractiveblackfridayaudioslideshow.html.

The slideshow, created by Associated Press in 2010, was published at the Black Friday. It gives an element of news story: timeliness.

In a way, the slideshow tells the audience the process of the biggest shopping day in the U.S. It starts by showing pictures of people lining (read: camping) up the night before the shops were opened. It then proceeds to pictures of the busy cashiers and shopkeepers, customers with trolley full of goods. It ends with people moving their items into cars.

The slideshow also tells the audience that despite the recession, people’s buying power did not decline. In fact, some customers pay with cash. It questions if the Americans are really affected by recession.

The narration helps the audience understanding the message in a better way. Should it was just a gallery of photos, it wouldn’t be so informative. The narrator tells the audience what the photos are about, what is behind them.

Social Media + Journalism = New School

Your need to write something for your journalism classes but running out of story ideas.

You scroll down your Facebook wall to see what’s going on in your friend circle. Some of them have just read some online article from news outlets.

Still stuck, you turn to your smartphone, reading what is trending on Twitter.

As the invasion of social media and the needs of information are continuing to grow, news providers have to transform the ways news is delivered.

Triggered by the global economy crisis in 2008, some news corporations decided to shut down their print production and focused on delivering news online.

As journalism students, we are left with tons of opportunities to shape the future of new-school journalism. Hence, the more versatilities we have, the more chances we can survive as the new era of journalism is not just about reporting stories in print but also empowering multimedia: pictures, slideshows, videos, animations, crowdsourcing.

You recalled your instructor suggesting using social media for your reporting medium. But what can you do with them? On the other side, what should you do to maintain your professional reputation?

Almost all do’s apply to your online reporting. Maintain your independent stand as the fourth estate. Displaying all the groups you join might give the sense of your political or religious positions. Posting too many personal stuffs (oh-I-was-drunk-in-a-party-last-weekend posts) might hurt your professional reputation.

However, don’t act too distant. Interacting with your readers through comments or retweeting is a must. You don’t want the readers think they are reading a computer-generated news outlet, especially if you are using blog or Twitter as the medium.

Be critical in gathering information. Don’t just take the information right away. Any body can say anything online! Check if it comes from credible sources. Go to the original webpage to double check.

Another good feature of social media is transparency. Be sure to be open on the sources. You don't want to be like Gailen David, a former flight attendant sued by American Airlines. American Airlines sued him on revealing confidential information. He revealed in his parody videos some confidential information but refused to tell his sources.

Last but not least, use the social media as your reporting tools but always be skeptical as a journalist.

Happy reporting!